Aircraft main engines not only provide propulsion for the aircraft, but in many instances may also be used to drive various other rotating components such as, for example, generators, compressors, and pumps, to thereby supply electrical, pneumatic, and/or hydraulic power. A typical aircraft main engine is implemented using a gas turbine engine, such as a turbofan engine, that is mounted within an engine nacelle. Because, as was just noted, the main engine may also be used to drive various other rotating components, gearing mechanisms (e.g., auxiliary gear boxes, integrated drive gears, etc.) may also be disposed within the engine nacelle. As a result, portions the engine nacelle may be noncircular in cross section.
The main propulsion engines on most jet aircraft also include thrust reversers. As is generally known, thrust reversers enhance the stopping power of the aircraft. More specifically, the thrust reversers, when deployed, redirect the rearward thrust of the engine to a forward direction to decelerate the aircraft. Because the thrust is directed forward, the thrust also slows down the aircraft upon landing. Various thrust reverser designs are commonly known, and the particular design utilized depends, at least in part, on the engine manufacturer, the engine configuration, and the propulsion technology being used. Some of these thrust reverser designs, such as target-type reversers and pivot door reversers, are coupled to the engine nacelle.
The noncircular cross section of a portion of the engine nacelle mentioned above, in combination with various other aerodynamic aircraft design objectives, results in many aircraft propulsion engines being configured as what are referred to as “handed aircraft propulsion engines.” What this means is that an aircraft propulsion engine is configured to be mounted on a particular side of an aircraft. That is, either the right-hand side or the left-hand side of the aircraft. In addition, the noncircular cross section may, in many instances, include the nacelle-to-thrust reverser interface. A noncircular nacelle-to-thrust reverser interface on a handed aircraft propulsion engine results in the need for handed thrust reversers. In other words, the same thrust reverser design cannot be used on both the right-hand engine and the left-hand engine. This can result in significant additional costs associated with original design efforts, manufacturing tooling, and aftermarket inventory of spare parts.
Hence, there is a need for a non-handed thrust reverser that can be installed on handed aircraft propulsion engines having a noncircular nacelle-to-thrust reverser interface, to thereby reduce or eliminate the additional costs associated with handed thrust reversers. The present invention addresses at least this need.